


On The Uptake

by nagi_schwarz



Series: Comment Fic 2017 [73]
Category: Justice League (2017)
Genre: M/M, Stealth Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 17:58:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12846504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: Written for the comment_fic prompt: "Any, Any, moving in together."Barry Allen is fast on his feet but slow on the uptake.





	On The Uptake

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Brumeier](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/gifts).



It took Barry about three months and six visits from Arthur before he realized he had a boyfriend. Barry was in school, was doing scut work at the Central City PD crime lab, worked crazy hours, and half the time he didn’t even realize Arthur had been by. He got back to the apartment he shared with three other students, kicked off his shoes, and there was yet another offering from some distant shore.

Barry kept all of Arthur’s souvenirs on display on his nightstand: a shell, a piece of sea glass, a gold coin from a sunken ship, something colorful and shiny that was most likely Atlantean but that Barry passed off as Hawaiian, a gleaming blade with an abalone inlay handle, and an kitschy touristy snow globe from Tahiti.

One time, Barry got off shift at the lab and clocked out, shuffled out the side security door and fumbled his way into his jacket, headed for the alley where he could turn on his super speed without being seen, and walked into a wall.

Not a wall. Arthur. Who was slouched against the wall, hands in his pockets, waiting for him.

“Hey,” Arthur said.

Barry blinked up at him. “Hey! You’re in town! Um, brunch? Although it - it’s dark. Uh, coffee?”

“Coffee’s good,” Arthur said.

They had coffee like that twice more, and then one night Barry got back to his apartment and Arthur was already there, sitting in Barry’s usual chair while Barry’s roommates stared at him.

“Hey,” Barry said. “You’re here. Usually you meet me at the lab. Um. Coffee?”

“I was thinking food this time,” Arthur said.

Barry nodded. “Okay. Food. I can do food.” He waved at his roommates - Ken, Jakob, and Ran - and headed for the door.

Arthur went out first. Arthur always went out first. Rule of combat. Diana and Bruce had yelled at Barry a lot for that. Between Arthur and Barry, Arthur was bigger and stronger. Arthur went through doors first.

“Have fun,” Ken said finally.

Ran added, “Be safe,” with a strange intensity Barry didn’t quite get.

Jakob rolled his eyes. “Translation: use a condom.”

Barry blinked. “Wait, what?” But then Arthur tugged on his wrist, and they went to get sushi at a place Ran and Ken liked.

Barry spent most of the meal looking at Arthur and listening while he talked about the places he’d been, the things he was doing to try to help Atlantis, and some of the things he was doing for Diana and Bruce. Barry was pretty sure that he’d just imagined Jakob’s comment, but then Arthur walked Barry back to his place, and they paused on the doorstep.

“Um, want to come in for coffee?” Barry asked. “Or do you have to -” He made a fishy swimming gesture with his hands.

“That second thing,” Arthur said. “But first, can I kiss you?”

No one had ever asked Barry that before, and he’d never had the inkling that anyone would have ever wanted to. 

He said, “Yes.”

Arthur leaned in, pressed his lips to Barry’s, gentle and warm, and then he pulled back. “Take care, Barry.” And he turned and walked away.

Barry stared after him till he was long gone and the hallway was empty, and then the door opened behind him.

“What are you doing back so soon?” Jakob demanded. “Your boyfriend’s built like a mountain. You two should take at least an hour for the good stuff.”

Barry blinked dazedly. “He had to go. Business.” And he drifted into the apartment. Kicked off his shoes. Sank down in his usual spot.

“You okay?” Ken asked.

Jakob closed the front door and laughed. “He just figured out that Arthur is his boyfriend.”

Ran raised his eyebrows.  _ “Just?” _

“Give me a break,” Barry said. “He’s just - and I’m just -”

Ken patted his shoulder. “I like him. He’s good for you. And he’s always been polite, when he’s dropped gifts off for you.”

That explained why Barry’s gifts had shifted from appearing on the doorstep to appearing directly on his nightstand. He’d just assumed Arthur had badass ninja powers in addition to badass water magic or whatever.

Well. Barry had a boyfriend. Okay. He could update his relationship status on Facebook. Or not. People didn’t really know Arthur existed. And apart from his roommates, Diana, and Victor, no one else paid attention to his Facebook page anyway.

Arthur came by more often after that, and he stayed longer, not just for dinner but sometimes coffee after and even a movie. And he kissed Barry, too, at first just quick, gentle kisses, but eventually lingering kisses, and the first time he pinned Barry up against the wall in the alley outside the lab and slid his hands up under Barry’s jacket, fireworks went off behind Barry’s eyes.

Barry caught on a lot faster when he started to accumulate some of Arthur’s possessions - that one knit cap he wore, and a jacket, and a bracelet of definite Atlantean design, and even a few pieces of Atlantean armor that he said were for Arthur’s work (he was a convention cosplayer in his spare time, or so the story went). Jakob made some noise when Arthur’s surfboard appeared in Barry’s room, but Ken just beamed at him and suggested he give Arthur a spare key. Ran reiterated his advice to  _ be safe. _ Jakob rolled his eyes and bought Barry a box of condoms, but they hadn’t gotten that far, and Barry wasn’t sure if he wanted to or how to ask once he figured out that he did want to.

“You know,” Ken said over homemade yakisoba one night, “rent would be easier on all of us if we had a fourth roommate.”

“Four might be a bit cramped,” Ran said dubiously.

Jakob flapped a hand dismissively. “Arthur’s gone all the time. We’d barely notice he was here.”

“He already has a key,” Ken pointed out.

Barry bit his lip, held his breath, mind racing. If only his mind were as fast as his body sometimes. “Okay. I’ll ask him.”

Arthur’s answer was to pin Barry to the bed and kiss him breathless. And then ask him about some mutual undressing. And then fall asleep beside him, his fancy trident within arm’s reach.

Ken insisted on having an official housewarming party for Arthur, complete with homemade food, presenting Arthur with his official keys (Barry was suspicious of Jakob’s shit-eating grin when he pointed out the cute cherry keyring to go with it). Victor sent a gift, an expensive flat-screen display to mount on the wall. Diana sent a gift as well, a lovely framed painting of the mythical city of Atlantis. Bruce showed up in jeans and a t-shirt and brought good sake, and by the time Barry’s roommates realized who he was, they were too drunk to articulate it, and the next day they confessed to the strangest hungover hallucination ever, that a super gazillionaire had been at their tiny Central City apartment.

Barry wasn’t sure what to say. Arthur just laughed, and after he finished his mug of coffee, dragged Barry back to bed. Had to officially christen the place, after all.


End file.
